Not Gonna Deny My Love
by Y3llah
Summary: At the thought of the kiss, his chest hardened and a slit of pain cutting through it made him gasp for air. His body still had not stopped surprising him with physical sensations of his turmoil. He, who was the vessel of the Nine-Tails could not have contained all the love bursting in him. NaruSasu /SasuNaru. Lemon and Love. Inspired by Brandon Flowers' song.
1. Naruto

„Not gonna, not gonna deny my love..."

His body twisted itself around the song's rhythm, lean torso muscles glistening under the moonlight. He danced to himself a lot at night. For him, it was not a matter of enjoying it or liking it. To him it was a ritual that would have cleansed his body of all the anger, guilt and shame, leaving him with nothing but pure, profound hurt. He got used to the hurt by now, and was learning to embrace it. After all, he would not have rejected his feelings of love over something as trivial as peace of mind. Though, as the song played on repeat, he imagined 'him' sneaking up from behind, sliding his fingers over his waist and embracing him with the right arm, pressing his palm against Naruto's abs. His hips kept on swaying, and other images flashed before him, Sasuke entering the room, rushing towards him with confident steps, pushing him to the wall, grabbing him by the back of the head and kissing him with such force it would have made his stomach whirl. For the first time, Naruto wouldn't have fought back, but would surrender to the kiss.

„It's driving me crazy, you can try to lie..."

At the thought of the kiss, his chest hardened and a slit of pain cutting through it made him gasp for air. His body still had not stopped surprising him with physical sensations of his turmoil. He, who was the vessel of the Nine-Tails could not have contained all the love bursting in him. His movements got more and more agitated, he was paying less and less attention to the music, guided only by the nerves protruding throughout his muscles. Finally, he condensed all of his movement to spinning in circles, round and round, faster and faster, until he could no longer maintain the balance and just collapsed to the floor. The thumping of the heart filled out his mind, his chest heaving with deep breaths. The ceiling was spiraling before his eyes, yet the thoughts of the clash he had had with Sasuke that day manically began pouring in.

 _What's the deal with this loner shit?! Aren't we supposed to be a team?!_

 _This way I am more efficient. You would slow me down..._

It was an A-rank mission. Several skirmishes had broken out at the country's border, and a number of Konoha ninjas went missing without a trace. Sasuke volunteered to go to the site and acquire additional intel, but he insisted on going in alone. It had not been the first time Sasuke asked to go unaccompanied, but on that day it particularly set Naruto off.

 _Slow you down?! You can't be serious!_

 _I don't need to explain myself to you further. I got the clearance from the 6th, I am just letting you know._

Just letting me know, eh?

 _I am leaving tomorrow morning. I'd be grateful if you didn't follow me._

Remembering Sasuke's final line really made his body clench. Was he angry because Sasuke was so conceited to him? No... Naruto pressed the ridge of his nose, and then rubbed his eyes with the thumb and the index finger. There was more to it... far more unsettling. Sasuke was directly pushing him away and wallows of fear crept up on him. What was the real reason behind Sasuke's insisting on going to these missions alone? Had he noticed something? Did he know? Naruto wasn't ready for himself to know, let alone for Sasuke. Yet he would never, ever deny those feelings, and if Sasuke confronted him, he didn't even dare to think of what he would say...

Bright, full moon shone on him through the open window, and it was then that he noticed how chilly the air got. His moist skin shuddered with goose bumps, and with his head still dizzy and heavy, he propped himself, got up and turned off the sound system. He looked up at the moon... _Where are you now, you idiot?_ he thought to himself. But the moon's shine kept the idle village in its embrace, giving no answer. He closed the shutters, turned the window knob and pulled up the curtains. The room was now covered in thick, saturated shadows and with heavy steps he trod towards the bed. He let the weight pull him down, and he prostrated himself over the sheets, sinking into silence.

"Well, it was about time." a deep male voice said.

Naruto's eyes widened in bewilderment. He knew that voice all too well, but could it be that he was imagining things? He jumped up to his knees and looked around the room frantically. Then, in the farthest corner of the room, where all the darkness condensed and no street light was reaching out, the red blaze of the Sharingan flickered.

"Sasuke?" he said in a low voice, the very name struggling to escape his lips.

There was no response, but as the figure stepped out, pale skinned and contrasting the surrounding shadows, he could tell it was really him.

"Your place seems to be safe."

"How did you get in here?" Naruto's voice resonated with shock and surprise, while he was fidgeting trying to find a T-shirt to put on.

"Your door was unlocked." Sasuke replied shortly, as if entering someone else's home required no additional explanation. Naruto stood up, still not knowing how to go about it and what to expect from this sudden visit.

"You mind if I turn on the lights?"

"I would pull all the shutters first."

Naruto silently agreed and went about the apartment closing the windows and then switching on the lights, whereas Sasuke approached the sound system.

" I don't think I've ever been to your place before." Sasuke addded as he turned around. "It's very much like you."

"I usually keep it tidy, it's just today I didn't find the time to clean up the mess." Naruto said apologetically as he was cleaning up the kitchen table of the dishes and food leftovers. ( _Yes, Sasuke, 'cause I couldn't care less about the stupid dishes, when you keep on shutting me off like that._ )

As Naruto was piling up the sink, he shouted out "So, you hungry or something? I have only cup ramen, if that's okay!"

 _Kahm_! A sharp cough was heard right behind Naruto's back, followed with: "We better keep our voices low. And tea is fine."

Naruto turned around and saw Sasuke leaning over the counter glaring at him. "Sure", Naruto replied in a near whisper, "Let's go to the room."

His room was indeed simple. A bed, a wardrobe, a shelf, a few posters on a wall, along with the photo of Team 7. He only had two tatami mats on the floor, and not even a proper coffee table.

"So, what's bringing you here?" said Naruto, handing over Sasuke's cup of tea to him and taking a seat on the opposite side. On the inside, he felt his head heat up with confusion. Luckily, he was not an easy one to blush, but when Sasuke looked away, he discretely pinched himself to make sure he wasn't dreaming.

"Tomorrow's mission. I am having strong doubts that the skirmishes and attacks are being orchestrated from within Konoha. I don't know much about it yet" Sasuke continued with his gaze still turned away. "but the only way for me to find out more is that everybody in the village believes I am not here, but sent away."

"Is that why you insisted on going alone?"

"Yes."

Upon hearing that, Naruto felt a burden lifted of his chest, making his heart all the more lighter with relief. But immediately after, a shadow of worry crossed his face again, when he noticed that Sasuke's gaze had been fixed on a room's wall for quite some time. The wall had nothing to show, and he wondered if Sasuke was just lost in his thoughts or he was having a strong premonition of something. He, on the other hand, was not sensing a thing. He decided to disturb the silence.

"Sasuke, is all okay? You've been looking at that wall for quite a while."

Sasuke paused for a few seconds before he replied.

"I was hoping you'd put some clothes on by now."

"Why? I am wearing my boxers."

"... Parts of you are still showing."

Embarrasment ran through Naruto's stomach as an electric current, as he realized that his sitting on the floor with his legs split revealed a tad too much.

"Sorry about that, I wasn't really expecting any visitors." He jumped up, and grabbed a pair of orange shorts he was wearing that day. As he was putting them on, he tried to bring the focus back to what they had been talking about first, "Anyways, what's the plan? I am sure you didn't just drop by to check up on me."

"I was planning to stay at your place until I figure out what's going on."

Naruto froze on the spot.

"What do you mean... 'stay'?"

"Would that be a problem?" Sasuke frowned.

"No, of course, not! It's just as you said. You've never been here, and now you are even asking me to stay..."

"I can go somewhere else, if you wish."

"No! NO. Just... " In an instant, Naruto managed to regain his cool. "Just talk to me, will you?" He sat back down, rested his elbows on the knees and gazed at Sasuke, waiting for him to speak. Even his eyes became clearer. Sasuke's lips parted a bit, now making his face look more surprised than offended - but finally he closed his eyes and smirked.

"I really don't know all that much. I am suspecting someone from the Root, but that will be really hard to investigate. That is why I need to stay undercover and not attract anyone's attention. My movement can be very limited, and I certainly cannot do it in daylight."

"Yes, sure..." Naruto replied, as on the inside he wanted to hit him so hard on the face. This was not Sasuke. The transformation was flawless, but Sasuke coming over, sneaking in, asking to stay at his place, this was all too good to be true. As a ninja, he needed to see beneath the underneath, and he was determined to blow up the cover of the person who decided to toy with him like this. As this guy kept on explaining, Naruto pondered what to do to provoke him to show his true face.

Then he remembered how awkward he felt for seeing a bit of Naruto's privacy. Well, he just might go down that road. And have some fun on the way. After all, the transformation to Sasuke was flawless.

"It sure got hot in here..." Naruto interrupted Sasuke, "I think I will take my shirt off. Why don't you, too?"

"No, I'm fine like this."

"Oh, come on, take it off, there is no air conditioning here." Sasuke lifted his eyebrows at him, not really getting what was going on. "As I said, I'm fine..." he added, confused and a bit irked.

Naruto lifted his arms to take off the shirt, his torso wiggling and stretching, revealing the flawlessly sculpted body.

"You know, I don't have an extra bed."

"I can tell as much. I can sleep on the floor."

"Oh, but we can share. If we squeeze in." Sasuke frowned at Naruto's proposal. "Just cut out the stupid jokes, you idiot."

"But is it a joke... Sasuke?" Naruto's body was tense from determination, and the blue eyes were as piercing as glaciers. He leaned forward and like a panther, he began prowling to Sasuke who instinctively leaned backwards, not letting Naruto out of his sight. "What got into you?" "Nothing... Yet." A devilish smile crossed his lips, seconds before they plunged into Sasuke's.

With a great tender in them, his lips carresed Sasuke's, his exhilaration rising with every little kiss. Sasuke was still sitting right where he was, accepting each of the kisses like a rain falling on the drought-ridden land. Then, with a stab of regret, Naruto pulled back, opened his eyes and said: "Thank you for this... I am almost sorry for what I am about to do..." Sasuke as perplexed as he was did not even manage to block the incoming hit, Naruto's fist landing on his chin, knocking him over to the ground.

"Now who the hell are you, and why are you transformed into Sasuke?!", Naruto yelled said as he rose above him, ready to fight.

"Idiot, it is me!"

"Yeah, prove it!"

With only a speck of awareness of what he was about to say, Sasuke yelled back: "This was not the first time you did this!"

Naruto knees tremored, and he just sank to the ground. There was no way an intruder could know about their accidental kiss back from the Academy days... Sasuke lifted his body too, holding his chin and wiping a bit of blood that slid from the corner of his lips.

 _What the fuck did I just do?_ He immersed his face into his hands, not daring to look up. This was it. This was the end. He will just leave. He will never speak to me again.

"I am sorry, I am so sorry... I thought this was not you - it did not seem like you!"

Sasuke absent-mindedly rubbed his chin, refusing to look at Naruto as well. "So, you decided to _kiss_ me?"

"I thought it would blow his cover... your cover..."

"Kissing me?"

"Yes, to provoke him! I thought you were the one to provoke me first..." _Shit, don't say that! I'm losing him, I'm losing him!_ Naruto propped his forehead with his left arm, and stared at the floor, holding his tears back: "I am really sorry, Sasuke..."

After a pause that felt so chilling and infinite, Sasuke lifted himself and, kneeling next to Naruto, he replied. "I am sorry, too..." He gently grasped Naruto's face with his right hand, and the last thing Naruto saw was the immense softness in Sasuke's eyes, before he kissed him. Naruto was not sure what was going on, but he wasn't letting go. The two boys were devouring one another, their lips telling the story of all the yearning that had been consuming them for so long. They clasped one another in a tight embrace, as Naruto slid his arms under Sasuke's shirt exploring the smooth skin of his back. It was soft, warm and bristling with life - his fingers meandered about it as if an artist had approached the canvas, painting it with different sensations. Sasuke was lowering his tongue to Naruto's neck, inhaling him, kissing him, strengthening his arousal with Naruto's shivering. With a swift movement, Naruto pulled up Sasuke's shirt, and started kissing him all over, the neck, the shoulders, the chest, occasionally grazing him with the teeth, without the intent of hurting, but only underlying the intensity of the excitement that was raveling around his crotch. This time it was Sasuke who knocked him over. "I will not let myself owe you", said the proud Uchiha, but instead of hitting him, he hovered himself over Naruto, and gave him a long, bountiful look filled with promises. "There is no turning back now", he said as he forced his way between Naruto's legs, stroking his shaft against Naruto's. The cloth in between only augmentated the impatience of the young. Sasuke's kisses started dwelling more and more over the chest, the abs, the navel... until he gently pulled down the shorts and the boxers he so vehemently protested against only minutes ago, placed his hand around the root of Naruto's penis, and laid his tongue on the glans. "Sasuke, what are you doing?" said Naruto through his teeth, lost in the haze of his emotions. "Shhhh..." said Sasuke, as his lips parted to take him in. His tongue was forcefully embracing him, as his palate was welcoming the thrusts of a lost virginity.

Naruto's back arched under the sensation. His arms were yearning for holding Sasuke, reaching out, but remaining empty and longing. Only his fingers managed to sink into the strands of the silken black hair. The muscles were pent with the desire to grab him by the head and hold him tightly, but his hands would never dare hurt him. He stroked his forehead gently with a single finger, and the very looking at Sasuke taking his penis in the mouth made him all the more excited. Sasuke's tongue wandered up and down, his lips gently caressing. The occasional exhaling of the air over the wet parts would give him the chills, and prolong the arousal, delay the climax. Not being able to handle them being apart, Naruto lifted himself, sliding his arms around Sasuke, pulling him up to the bed, laying him down and kissing him on the lips. Each kiss said: "I am not dreaming, am I?" "I want you so much..." "I care about you so much..." With the exchange of kisses, he opened his mind and heart, and yet he was afraid to look deep down into Sasuke's.

"Sasuke, this isn't one of your illusions, is it?"

"What if it was?"

The dubious answer left a hint of unease, and the only thing Naruto thought of replying was: "Then, don't let it ever end."

With this, he lowered his head, determined to match Sasuke's skill. The tip of his tongue whimsically pressed the veins that were brimming with blood flow. His fingers gently played with Sasuke's testicles, while he was looking for the one spot at the root, the one he discovered for himself during many nights of thinking of him. Sasuke hissed with surprise, as the spot had been unknown to him, nor he knew he was that sensitive and vulnerable anywhere on his body. Naruto's fingertip pressed it with care, while the rest of the hand cupped Sasuke gently. With his other hand he was pulling the skin up and down, and he kissed and he kissed and he kissed... Sasuke's body started arching, his fingertips clawed at the bed sheets, his ivory face was radiant with pinkish glow... His breaths got deeper and faster, and he knew that the point of climax was close... "I cannot..." but before he managed to finish the sentence, the white of his excitement rushed out while Naruto was gently rubbing him still, intensifying the feeling to the fullest.

"You have to turn everything into a competition, don't you, you idiot?" Sasuke said with a smirk, as his forehead was dripping with sweat and his breathing was pacifying. "It wasn't competing..." Naruto replied as he was climbing up and lying down next to him. "I wanted you to enjoy it, too, that's all."

"And what about you?"

Naruto pressed his naked body against Sasuke's back and hugged him, as the tiredness began to kick in. "Let's just say you do owe me... You came to stay, right?" But before Sasuke managed to reply anything to the clingy ninja, Naruto was already deep in his sleep. Sasuke intertwined the fingers with the hand that was holding him and he thought with a smile: _The idiot forgot to turn off the lights.._. In the last moments of wakefulness, as he felt his own fatigue overcoming him, he looked around the apartment and thought to himself: _It really does look like Naruto. Not messy, but warm._


	2. Sasuke

The saké was kicking in.

He was never really fond of drinks, but during one of the missions, a fellow ninja gave him a sip to warm up. He liked the initial burning sensation in his chest, and whenever he would drink it later, he would usually stop at the first sip. He would then patiently wait for the elation of numbness, the lightness of the heart, the feeling that everything would be okay. Then the pain would kick in. He needed it. He knew how often he had been lied to, deceived, manipulated, all because he refused to face himself. The moment of liberation for him was when he decided he would never lie to himself again, no matter the amount of pain he needed to face. And yet, parts of him would deny, would rationalize, would start off a whole machinery of defense mechanisms to help him cope. It was a sheer force of will that he used to fight them, and yet, sometimes he could not. This is when he would drink a sip or two.

That night was such a night. Numbness was soon to leave him, and the pain grew particularly strong... he felt like parts of his soul were cleaved out... yet, he embraced it... _I feel how deeply I miss you. And then I wonder if it's really you I miss, my friend. Is it the feeling of loneliness I am projecting unto you... Or it goes deeper? Yet, I never stop feeling that there is a very special bond between us.. Something that is so precious to me... yet something that makes me devastated._ His gaze was lost in the corner of the inn, and the thoughts of the clash he had had with Naruto that day began pouring in.

 _What's the deal with this loner shit?! Aren't we supposed to be a team?!_

 _This way I am more efficient. You would slow me down..._

He knew that was a blatant lie. Naruto would rival his speed without much effort, and the outcome of the whole mission would be much more certain with him by his side. However, it was not wise that both of the strongest ninjas leave the village - at least, that's what Sasuke said to convince the 6th Hokage. But the truth was he wanted to use that time to be alone with his thoughts. He had done it several times already, and was surprised to see that this particular instance angered Naruto so much.

 _Slow you down?! You can't be serious! You really think you are so much better than the rest of us?!  
_

 _I don't need to explain myself to you further. I am leaving tomorrow morning. I'd be grateful if you didn't follow me._

He regretted saying this later on. The knucklehead had never really adhered to his requests - whatsmore, he would do the downright opposite, and there was an unease rising in Sasuke thinking of Naruto showing up the next day and insisting to go with him.

He paid the bill, and went out in the street with strong, determined steps. Without much of premeditated intent, he found himself in front of Naruto's building. He needed to make sure Naruto would not follow after him, he felt a dire need to use this time to settle the confusion in him once and for all. He just could not allow to miss out on the chance, he felt his armor was giving up on him, he felt exposed, tainted with different perceptions, beliefs, expectations. He needed to be alone and reach out to his true self. He hated admitting it, but he was susceptible, and this was especially true when it came to Naruto's influence over him. It irritated him even more to know Naruto was not like this, that Naruto was the one who never went back on his word.

He climbed to the third floor, and found the door with "Uzumaki" inscribed on it. At that point, he realized he had never addressed Naruto by his last name. Truth be told, he had not really addressed him by the first name, either.

Sasuke was a bit drunk.

He knocked on the door, and waited. As there was no answer, he repeated the knock - this time a bit harder - but nobody was coming out. He reached for the door knob, and found that the door was unlocked. That's when he heard music coming out of the apartment, a song that was not known to him from before.

 _"What's going on in your head now_  
 _Maybe something I said,_  
 _I know that you've been living in the past"_

He walked slowly down the corridor, but apart from the music, he heard nothing else. The apartment was covered in darkness, and he was beginning to wonder what or whom he might find there. With the slightest peak, he saw there was a male body lying on the floor in the main room. Most likely, Naruto's. Was he okay? He activated the Sharingan, but there was no one else to be seen in the room but him. He was sure minutes passed without Naruto doing as much as flinching, but there were no signs of fighting, or signs that anything went wrong for that matter. Finally, he decided to approach and check up on him, when Naruto suddenly got up, turned off the music, closed the window, and prostrated himself over the bed. The idiot seemed perfectly fine.

"Well, it was about time." Sasuke said, feeling relieved.

Naruto jumped up in surprise, turned around and judging from the position of his head, his eyes got fixated in Sasuke's direction.

"Sasuke?" he said his name in the well known rasping voice that made Sasuke's stomach buzz from the excitement.

"Your place seems to be safe." Sasuke remarked, as he made a few reluctant steps forward, but throughout the shadows that engulfed the apartment, indeed, there was no sign of a menace.

"How did you get in here?"

"Your door was unlocked." Sasuke replied without thinking much about it. Isn't that how you would enter an apartment normally, he thought to himself? Then again, Sasuke was a bit drunk.

"You mind if I turn on the lights?" Naruto said with a bit of uncertainty in his voice, apparently still trying to figure out what was going on, but Sasuke did not want to give anyone a chance to see, even from afar, that the two of them were talking that night.

"I would pull all the shutters first."

Naruto silently agreed and went about the apartment closing the windows and then switching on the lights, whereas Sasuke approached the sound system. He was really curious about that song from before. What's going on in my head, indeed?

"I don't think I've ever been to your place before." Sasuke addded as he turned around. "It's very much like you." The walls were of a grayish color, could use repainting, but there was some warmth to their sunbeaten color. The dark wooden floors gave it a really homely feeling, and even the bed had the orange sheets. There were a few posters on the wall, and he couldn't help noticing that the photo of Team 7 was having a special place among them.

"I usually keep it tidy, it's just today I didn't find the time to clean up the mess." Naruto said apologetically as he was cleaning up the kitchen table of the dishes and food leftovers. Naruto had not noticed that Sasuke followed him to the kitchen, as he was piling up the sink. Suddenly, Sasuke felt his knees were getting a bit shaky. _Did I really have that much to drink?_ Still not noticing Sasuke behind him, Naruto shouted out "So, you hungry or something? I have only cup ramen, if that's okay!" Leaning against the counter to keep the balance, Sasuke glared at Naruto. Well, if nobody sees them, apparently the idiot will make sure everybody _hears_ that they were talking. After warning him to keep his voice low, Sasuke asked for some tea, hoping it would help him sober up.

The boys went back to the room, sat down on the two tatami mats on the floor, one opposite the other.

"So, what's bringing you here?" said Naruto, handing over Sasuke's cup of tea to him. As Sasuke was taking up the tea, he noticed that apart from wearing a T-shirt, Naruto was wearing nothing else but his boxers. He turned away his gaze, as he could swear that he could see the soft flesh peeking through. That's when Naruto's question dawned on him. _Indeed, what is bringing me here? I could not just tell him: I came to make sure you don't follow me tomorrow, that would never work. What can I say to him?_

In a moment, as if he was having a ready text before him, he started coming up with speculations about the mission he was about to be sent off to.

"Tomorrow's mission. I am having strong doubts that the skirmishes and attacks are being orchestrated from within Konoha. I don't know much about it yet" Sasuke continued with his gaze still turned away, hoping Naruto would at least change the position he was sitting in. "The only way for me to find out is that everybody in the village believes I am not here, but sent away."

"Is that why you insisted on going alone?"

"Yes." _Ok, that fitted in nicely,_ Sasuke thought to himself, as he himself wasn't sure what he was trying to achieve with the story. But he was getting really irritated with Naruto's posture. Could he really be that oblivious?

"Sasuke, is all okay? You've been looking at that wall for some time now." _Seriously? Not feeling a least chilly down there?_ Sasuke paused for a few seconds, but then he finally gave up with a sigh, accepting that Naruto would never figure out what was going on on his own.

"I was hoping you'd put some clothes on by now."

"Why? I am wearing my boxers."

"Parts of you are still showing." Sasuke said in an even tone. Naruto's eyes widened as he apparently felt quite embarrassed over it. "Sorry about that, I wasn't really expecting any visitors." he muttered, as he jumped up, and grabbed a pair of orange shorts he was wearing that day. Sasuke did his best to continue being the gentleman he was, yet he threw a glance at the tanned body before him. He particularly liked Naruto's t-shirt, how loosely it fitted him, battered from wearing, and slightly revealing his collar bones.

As he was putting the shorts on, Naruto added, "Anyways, what's the plan? I am sure you didn't just drop by to check up on me."

"I was planning to stay at your place until I figure out what's going on." _Then while you are sound asleep in the morning, I can sneak out without attracting the least bit of attention._

But instead of welcoming the proposal, Naruto froze on the spot.

"What do you mean... 'stay'?"

"Would that be a problem?" Sasuke frowned. He did not take into account that Naruto might refuse him, but still, that was possible.

"No, of course, not! It's just as you said. You've never been here, and now you are even asking me to stay..."

"I can go somewhere else, if you wish." he knew Naruto had every right to refuse his request, but he could not help feeling offended, and a bit hurt with his last remark.

"No! NO. Just... Just talk to me, will you?" Naruto's eyes suddenly gained a whole more of clarity, as he sat back down and gazed at Sasuke, waiting for him to speak. Sasuke was taken aback by this change of moods, but it melted away his sulking... He started explaining his plans to investigate Root, which was something he indeed was considering regardless of his intention now.

"Either way, you and the 6th are the only one to know. We will try to keep it a secret that I am missing for as long as possible, and I will have three days at best to conduct all the necessary investigation." Sasuke was wrapping up his explanation, also noticing that Naruto was looking through him for quite some time now, and was not really paying attention to what he was saying.

"It sure got hot in here..." Naruto suddenly interrupted, "I think I will take my shirt off. Why don't you, too?" Sasuke could not believe his ears. Only a few minutes he asked him to put clothes on, and he is now taking it off again. Was he serious?!

"No, I'm fine like this."

"Oh, come on, take it off, there is no air conditioning here." Sasuke lifted his eyebrows at him, not really getting what was going on. "As I said, I'm fine..." he added, confused and a bit irked.

Naruto lifted his arms to take off the shirt, his torso wiggling and stretching, revealing the flawlessly sculpted body. It caught Sasuke off guard, and reminded him how much he admired Naruto's physique. Though they both trained hard, Naruto's muscles, and shoulders in particular, bore more proportion than his own body.

"You know, I don't have an extra bed." Naruto continued.

"I can tell as much. I can sleep on the floor." Sasuke kept his cool facade unchanged, but he was more and more confused. Was this really Naruto?

"Oh, but we can share. If we squeeze in." Sasuke brow really furrowed at Naruto's last proposal. "Just cut out the stupid jokes, you idiot."

"But is it a joke... Sasuke?" Sasuke was so flustered, he could not think of anything else to say. The blue eyes were so piercing and determined, as Naruto leaned forward and began prowling to Sasuke. Sasuke instinctively leaned backwards, not letting Naruto out of his sight. "What got into you?" he finally managed to ask. "Nothing... Yet." Sasuke was shocked with the innuendo in Naruto's words, and was trying to decipher if there could be some other meaning to what he just said... But before he managed to struggle his way through his thought, Naruto's lips plunged into Sasuke's.

Sasuke's mind went blank. Not a single word, or thought, or protest, nothing crossed his mind. He just infinitely wanted those kisses, and each of them felt like a fulfillment of a wish long denied and oppressed. He was not even aware how much he needed them, how much he wanted them, his mind had only asked him to stay close to Naruto, but never ever dared to ask for anything more.

Suddenly, Naruto retreated a bit, saying with a hint of regret in his words: "Thank you for this... I am almost sorry for what I am about to do..." But Sasuke could not yet compose himself as to what was happening, and without slightest resistance to it, Naruto's fist landed on his chin, knocking him over to the ground.

"Now who the hell are you, and why are you transformed into Sasuke?", Naruto yelled as he rose above him, ready to fight. A strong pain shot through Sasuke's jaw and brain, giving him a shot of adrenaline and instant sobering.

"Idiot, it is me!" Sasuke yelled back at him, while he was still lying on the floor.

"Yeah, prove it!"

Thinking swiftly about how he can prove this to Naruto, he exclaimed the first thing that crossed his mind: "This was not the first time you did this!"

Even though they have never spoken of it - ever - they both knew that there were only a few people who could know about their kiss from the Academy days, and all of them were to be trusted. At Sasuke's exclamation, Naruto just sank to the ground. Sasuke lifted his body too, holding his chin and wiping a bit of blood that slid from the corner of his lips. Shit, the blonde could really hit, Sasuke thought to himself as he observed the blood specks on his fingers.

"I am sorry, I am so sorry..." Naruto started murmuring "I thought this was not you - it did not seem like you!"

This is when his brain finally decided to interfere. Naruto was kissing him. Kissing him. How did that happen? Sasuke absent-mindedly rubbed his chin, refusing to look at Naruto directly. He struggled to figure out his friend's weird train of thoughts. No wonder they called him the most unpredictable of all ninjas.

"I thought it would blow his cover... your cover..."

"Kissing me?" Sasuke still strived to understand. He felt as if Naruto had asked him to look at the picture, and he could only focus on the missing piece. Had he known before Sasuke knew himself?

"Yes, to provoke him! I thought you were the one to provoke me first..." To provoke you? What have I done to provoke you? Sasuke turned his eyes to Naruto in bafflement. He kissed me because I provoked him? He finally dared to take a close look at his friend, who stared at the floor, his head propped by his left arm... His eyes were welling with tears that were about to flow any second now.

"I am really sorry, Sasuke..." The sadnesss in Naruto's voice, Naruto's eyes, his cheeks even, his posture... Sasuke finally saw the missing piece. As if the sun shone on him after the months of clouds and rain, he saw clearly what was happening. He did not even have time to let it sink in, he just wanted to reach out to that shaken boy who had not just done the most unpredictable, but also the most wonderful thing in the universe.

Sasuke kneeled next to Naruto, and shortly said: "I am sorry, too..." He gently grasped Naruto's face with his right hand, looked him in those heartbroken orbs, and the last thing Naruto saw was the immense softness in Sasuke's eyes, before he kissed him. Naruto was not sure what was going on, but he wasn't letting go.


End file.
